1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a closure for a pressure vessel and more specifically relates to an actuated breach lock closure for a pressure vessel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior art closures typically utilize large heavy-duty rotatable closure elements in order to open and close access to pressurized vessels for, as an example, cleaning. The rotatable elements are typically either the door or an outer ring rotating about the frame. Since these are such large rigid elements, they are typically very heavy. Thus, actuating components must generate a large force in order to properly actuate movement for these parts. This results in high cost, high energy consumption, and difficulty in providing functionality.
The rotatable elements must be engineered as large elements in order to carry large loadings associated with pressurized systems. The closures include a frame and a door which are typically round and have a primary axis about which the frame extends circumferentially. When the door is in the closed position, the primary axis passes through the door, which is co-axial with the frame. Locking components for the closure typically include a planar surface which is perpendicular to the primary axis of the closure. Since these locking components may carry non-aligned loadings in different areas, the load bearing elements or components are subjected to large bending forces. Thus, the rotatable elements must be designed to withstand these large bending forces. This also results in larger, heavier parts than would otherwise be necessary.
Some closures utilize locking rings which are deformable in order to extend into or retract from an internal annular cavity in the door frame. This allows movement of the locking ring into or out of the cavity during locking or unlocking of the closure. However, the deformability of the ring causes the ring to bind between the door and frame when the ring is beginning to engage the internal cavity therefore inhibiting unlocking and opening. Repeated locking and unlocking of the closure is therefore inhibited, especially when contaminants or corrosion develops on sliding surfaces.
Given the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a closure for a pressure vessel is desired which inhibits bending moment about a locking ring, which inhibits binding of the locking ring and allows rotation of lightest portion of the closure assembly for locking and unlocking.